Alchemic Reactions
by MikariStar
Summary: A collection of Fullmetal Alchemist short stories.


A collection of Fullmetal Alchemist short stories.

Alchemic Reactions

Transmutation 01: Red Coat

As Edward Elric, made his way to Roy Mustang's office, he heard murmurs and laughs behind his back. He assumed they were secretly making fun of his height and was immediately put in a bad mood.

The fact that, upon arriving at the office, he noticed that Mustang was in a good mood; put Ed in an even worse mood. Ed noticed that Hughes was already there, reporting something or other; or most likely showing Mustang the latest picture of his daughter. But what really caught Ed's attention was the amused look that Hughes and Mustang shared.

When Edward glanced at his brother, Alphonse, he realized that the suit of armor also shared the joke that amused the military men. Despite being a suit of armor, and therefore having a perfect poker face, Ed could read his brother like a book.

Mustang opened his mouth to speak, but Edward cut him off. "Who are you calling so short that everyone laughs at him behind his back?!"

Mustang blinked, Alphonse played innocent and Hughes held back laughter.

Edward gave each of them a stern look. "What's going on? You're all hiding something from me. Even my own brother knows and won't tell me!"

Alphonse instinctively backed way when Ed caught him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're a terrible liar Al!" Ed was certain that they were hiding something, and he was determined to find out what it was.

Alphonse looked to Hughes for support. Hughes was unable to hold it in any longer and exploded in a fit of laughter. "Elysia is a little genius!"

"Don't change the subject!" Edward demanded.

By now even Mustang was smiling and Alphonse was making noises as if holding back laughter.

"I demand an explanation!" Ed stomped his feet, making 'thump' and 'clang' sounds.

As soon as Hughes was able to catch his breath from laughing, he started explaining. "Remember yesterday when we were discussing your report and trying to put together some clues?"

Edward nodded and willed Hughes to continue.

"Elysia wanted her big brothers to read her a story, so Alphonse volunteered while we worked. She said that Alphonse looked like the tin man from the Wizard of Oz..." Hughes stopped his narration there.

Edward did not understand. He already heard the tin man story from Al. If that was all there was to it, then wouldn't they be laughing at Al? "What else?"

"Well..." Hughes delivered the devastating blow, "she said you looked like Little Red Ridinghood!"

Ed's mouth was agape and his eyes twitched, as he witnessed Hughes, Alphonse, Mustang, and even Hawkeye, who had just entered the office, laugh to their hearts' content.

Hawkeye was the first to compose herself and set the paperwork she came to deliver on Mustang's desk. She wisely exited the office before catching the wrath of the offended red coated midget alchemist, formerly known as Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric, now known simply as Little Red.

Unfortunately, Edward Elric knew that no matter how much property damage he caused, nothing would stop Mustang from calling him Little Red when ever he saw him.

Transmutation 02: Automail

"Winry," Edward tried to get his childhood friend to listen for the seventh time, and once again it did not work.

"Shh, Ed, I'm busy," Winry continued her measuring and scribbling on a notepad, poking and prodding, when ever she thought it was necessary.

"Winry..." Edward was starting to think trying to talk to Winry would be a lost cause until she was done. But she had made a mistake and he was merely trying to point it out, as it was, apparently, not clear enough for her to notice under the fabric.

"Just a minute I'm almost done," Winry poked and measured some more, feeling around for any dents that might need repairs.

"Winry!" Edward insisted on being heard.

"You took good care of it this time," Winry paused, still on her knees, from examining Ed's leg. "I didn't feel any dents."

"That's because my automail leg is over here," Edward pulled up his left pant leg to reveal the metal under it, littered with abundant dents.

Winry blinked, "oh..." and cheeks afire, she started the process from the beginning, this time examining the leg that she was supposed to examine.

Transmutation 03: Guilty Confession

Edward's Point of View

I confess did something that was forbidden, and I never paid enough of a price, that was and maybe still is, my belief. That would explain the abandonment of everything I love and think I do not deserve.

Mother died, she died because I, the oldest son, did not even notice her illness. Father left long ago, my younger brother, though born only a year after me, I think was still too young. It was my responsibility to at least notice what was going on, and I didn't.

On her death bed she had one last wish. She was surrounded by her two sons and her dearest friends, but she wished to see her husband, I knew it even if she did not say it. Instead she asked for something else, she asked for flowers, she asked me to get those flowers, and I didn't. I helplessly held her hand, cried and yelled in desperation like the child I was, but shouldn't have been, because she and my brother needed me to grow up, but I didn't, I never did.

After mother died my dark ambition began, I disrespected life itself attempting to revive her and created a monster that later took the lives of many innocent people. That's not all, my brother, my only family, since I did not consider my father as such, lost his entire body, and I selfishly brought him back.

Refusing to lose my brother, I called his soul and imprisoned it in armor. I was desperate and in pain, as I had lost a leg during the attempt to revive mother, and the creation of the monster who was not like her at all. They might have looked alike, but hat creature was not my kind mother.

I offered my remaining leg, both arms and my heart, in exchange for my brother. I was stupid thinking that any part of my body was worth the same as a soul, it was not, but for some reason the law of equivalent exchange was bent with mercy towards Alphonse, not me as I'm sure I deserved none, and he was brought back after my arm was ripped off by the alchemic reaction.

I bled, almost to death, until the possessed armor carried me to the home of our childhood friend to receive medical attention and I was saved.

After that, my life revolved around the quest of restoring our bodies back to normal. Mine was never restored, I did not deserve it.

Preparing for the journey, I replaced my missing arm and leg with robotic components called automail. They worked quite well, maybe better than the originals, but I wanted to be fully human again.

I realized how much pain I caused my brother, my dear brother who warned me not to try to revive mother. It was I who pushed him into it and caused this tragedy. I traveled with my brother, I thought he needed me, but I needed him.

People where frightened at the suspicious armored being, not knowing that it was empty armor with a kind, gentle soul. My brother lost his childhood, being treated as a grown up, and sometimes dangerous man, though he was neither.

My mistakes continued until one day, I put myself out of my misery in exchange for saving my brother, but even then it did not end. It was not yet time for me to see mother. Then again, how could I face her knowing I created a monster trying to bring her back?

That world, that harsh world was my punishment, I was sure. I drifted endlessly lacking the powers I once commanded so easily. Alchemy, my magic, my dream, my fantasy, my power, my life and my downfall, it was gone. Weak and helpless, I kept going, until one day my brother found me, and my father, whom I no longer blamed as I did in the past, sacrificed himself to send me home.

When I finally returned to my world, I was given a new arm and leg, upgraded, strong and perfectly designed. I was given my powers back, alchemic magic that maybe only my brother could match. I was given everything in a silver platter and I refused it, I did not deserve it.

When I arrived back at the place of my punishment, the harsh empty world, I tried to make it feel like my own, though it wasn't. The biggest pain was seeing that little brother had followed me. He sacrificed his power, his name, and the chance to live a happy life next to his friends, just to be with me, because I still need him, and he knew it.

I confess, I crossed the lines of life and death, I disrespected nature, I hurt those whom I meant to protect, I denied my mother's dying wish, I made my father's sacrifice be in vain, I ruined my younger brother's life in more ways than I could count and I abandoned my friends. I confess that I regret all of this and that if I was given another chance, I would do things very differently; but I confess I don't deserve another chance, no matter how much I want it.

End POV

Disclaimer, I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist. Transmutation 03 was written for Snow's Confession Challenge at Plot Whole.

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